Black uniforms have traditionally been associated with Nebraska's defense

The Univ. of Nebraska and adidas yesterday "unveiled the alternative TECHFIT football uniform the Huskers will wear Sept. 14 when they play UCLA at Memorial Stadium for adidas’ annual 'Unrivaled Game,'" according to Steven Sipple of the Lincoln JOURNAL STAR. The uniform includes black jerseys with "white stencil font numbers and a unique pattern throughout." The helmet is "matte white with a wide black stripe, stencil numbers and a face mask that fades from red to matte black." NU's "famous straight red 'N' featured on its helmets for decades remains unchanged" (JOURNALSTAR.com, 6/25). In Omaha, Jon Nyatawa notes black jerseys are "part of Husker history, too, normally reserved for the first-team defense in practice." NU "hasn't worn solid black jerseys in a football game before, though other Husker sports teams have sported black-dominated looks." The new black jerseys are "sleek-looking." The white pants have the school's "red 'N' stamped on the front left hip," and feature "a black stripe down the side." The socks have "a candy-cane design in red and black." NU AD Shawn Eichorst said, "Black is a color that our student-athletes are always interested in wearing, but you've got to have a balance there. I think we were able to incorporate the black in a way that still played well with our history and tradition, particularly as it relates to making sure that our iconic block 'N' is in red" (OMAHA WORLD-HERALD, 6/26). ESPN.com's Paul Lukas wrote, "It's not an ugly uniform per se, but it doesn't feel right to see the 'Huskers wearing black, especially since they have the long-established tradition of calling the first-string defensive unit the Blackshirts." Lukas: "What's the point of being a Blackshirt if the whole team is wearing black shirts? Disappointing" (ESPN.com, 6/25).